Do animals smile? Do they feel emotions and if so how many kinds of feelings do they share with us? In this episode we also take a look at the probiotics in yogurt – how do they affect your thinking and do they might help protect you from stress. It turns out that these probiotics increase the production of the neurotransmitter GABA which helps quiet down your neurons. I also talk about the work of female psychologists: Carol Dweck on the psychology of success, and and a tribute to Evelyn Hooker whose research helped in removing homosexuality from the DSM in 1973.

Hey Doc,
I’m listening at work right now but always wondered what if GABA inhibits an inhibitory neuron so that the third neuron isn’t inhibited anymore and so becomes excitatory. Makes me wonder if the medications do what they purport and whether they work or not.